


This Good Thing

by SinnamonSpider



Series: Stereo Love: Excerpts [6]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Brotherly love bleeding into something more, Canonical Character Death, Episode: s02e21 All Hell Breaks Loose, Ficlet, Gen, M/M, Non-Explicit, Song Lyrics, Tumblr Prompt, Wincest if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-12 00:06:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11725386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinnamonSpider/pseuds/SinnamonSpider
Summary: He’s lost Sam once, and in doing so, he knows now what he stands to lose.





	This Good Thing

**Author's Note:**

> My response to the July Wincest Writing Challenge on Tumblr. Prompt was Superstitions: knock on wood.
> 
> Wow, I had so much trouble with this. Couldn't say why. I'm still not really happy with the end result, but meh. 
> 
> Title and lyrics from "Knock On Wood" by Amii Stewart. I did have fun pulling serious material from a 70s disco anthem. 
> 
> Standard disclaimers apply. Feedback is life.

_ I’m not superstitious about ya _ _   
_ _ But I can’t take no chance _

 

Sam’s death changes Dean.

It stands to reason that it would. To look upon the face of your sweet baby brother, the one you raised and held and cherished and kissed and loved, as it goes slack in death, still and silent in that awful finality, it’s too much. It’s too much to bear. 

Dean does what he needs to and the life comes back that beloved face, lets it smile and frown and watch Dean with adoring eyes when he thinks Dean’s not looking, but the damage is done. Dean’s a changed man, forever.

He finds himself doing little things, picking up little quirks. Stuff he’d scoff at in anyone else.  They see too much for either of them to be too believing in anything, which sounds like a contradiction. But Dean knows that Sam still believes in angels, still kneels beside his bed when he thinks Dean has fallen asleep and whispers to the uncaring void. So Dean figures that Sam won’t call him out on any of the stuff he’s started doing. 

He starts avoiding cracks in the sidewalk and giving black cats a wider berth. He keeps a lucky penny in his wallet - nearly has a panic attack when he thinks he accidentally spent it on a bag of pork rinds. When Friday the 13th rolls around, he finds an excuse to keep them locked up in their motel room for the day.  

If Sam notices, he doesn’t comment. Just like Dean assumed.

He doesn’t believe it, not really, in the same way he doesn’t believe that anyone is listening to Sam’s whispered prayers. But he can’t take the chance. 

He’s lost Sam once, and in doing so, he knows now what he stands to lose.

So he better knock on wood. 


End file.
